Portswood Residents’ Gardens, now a Conservation Area, consists of a pleasant residential development planned around two parcels of land or ‘gardens’ in a way unique in Southampton and unlikely to be encountered elsewhere.
The gardens are nominally owned by trustees, and the land and affairs connected with it are managed by them, in consultation with residents.
To the north lies the informal half of the gardens, ‘the Meadow’, about one third of which is given over to allotments. A small spinney bounds its south-west side, while to the south-east between the meadow and ‘The Cut’ (an unpaved and grassy lane), stand substantial wellingtonias and Atlas cedars. A brook, the focus for many plants, flows south-eastwards through the Meadow.
On the south side of Abbotts Way is the more formal ‘Residents Garden’, with lawns, flower beds, shrubs, trees and tennis courts. In this area are the gardener’s cottage and the pavilion.
Those who live in the area are fortunate. The gardens, which were originally planned for the enjoyment of residents, still serve that purpose. They are peaceful and beautiful, and have increasingly flourished thanks to the volunteer time and contributions of local residents.
